


Cheers Darlin'

by ethanhuwunt



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Angst, Crying, Emotional Hurt, Heavy Angst, I Made Myself Cry, M/M, One Shot, Sobbing, Vodka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 21:54:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20896694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ethanhuwunt/pseuds/ethanhuwunt
Summary: The bartender knew the cheerful jokester. He was usually around trying to make everyone's -even the saddest people's- nights brighter. Something was awfully wrong with the way he was sitting and staring at nothingness. The big glasses he always wore laid next to his empty vodka bottle, he looked extremely broken. Anyone could see it even if they had never met the man.





	Cheers Darlin'

**Author's Note:**

> Have the song Cheers Darlin' by Damien Rice playing for the full angst experience xx it's a magical song that will pull on your heartstrings ;(
> 
> link: https://youtu.be/GzKFEx-wsJo
> 
> So, this was just so heavy to write and I wrote it to get my own emotions out as i had my heart shattered recently. So there's a lot of emotions portrayed in the ff, though I'm not sure I got that across fully.
> 
> Since it has story potential, I might make this into a full ff later on but only if the readers would like that. Cause I know usually most one shots are better left untouched.
> 
> Untill later, stay floating (???) 🎈

His surroundings felt damp— heavy, as one would describe. Not literally of course. The air was thick; wait, was it actually? Maybe it was the smell of alcohol and his stuffy nose that made Richie feel like that. The small pub he has been sitting in for the countless hours was about to close any minute now and he was unaware.

The bartender knew the cheerful jokester. He was usually around trying to make everyone's -even the saddest people's- nights brighter. Something was awfully wrong with the way he was sitting and staring at nothingness. The big glasses he always wore laid next to his empty vodka bottle, he looked extremely broken. Anyone could see it even if they had never met the man.

Hating to be the one man to tell him that the place is closing, the bartender sighed. “We're closing.” He said. The pub was empty. It was Wednesday and people had already gone home about two hours ago. After seeing absolutely no reaction from the man, he cleared his throat and spoke once again but louder. “We're closing, chap.” He knocked on the bar three times. “Lad?”

Richie's face was washed cleaned from the tears he had been shedding for the past however many hours. His head was pounding as if a beating heart was shoved into his skull through one of his ears. The knock on the wooden surface broke him back into reality. He wondered if this is how Beverly felt 25 years ago having seen the Deadlights—

“What?” He snapped at the old man. “Your whole pub is dead. You got nothing to do so your best choice is to annoy the only customer you have left? No wonder this pub is empty.” He downed the last bit of the drink from the glass.

“I said we're closing.” The man said awkwardly. He understood the other was angry. He was drunk and obviously hurt by something.

“Oh. right— H-how long have I been here?” Richie rubbed his temple. “I lost track of time. Didn't mean to be a 'scuse-my-language dick.”

“Are you alright, son?” The older took a seat two stools beside him, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

“Yeah, no” Richie said, “No, yeah.” Then shook his head, “Yeah. No. As in, no I'm not.”

The man wondered if his sadness had something to do with the paper that was in front of him. Of course he didn't want to be rude and ask about it. It was dead-quiet now that the owner was done cleaning and scrubbing. Every heavy uneven breath Richie took echoed throughout the place.

The kind man didn't want to let him go like this— so shattered. “Let me switch the sign to closed. Take your time, eh?” He said hopping off of the stool and limping towards the door. The sign swung from displaying [OPEN] to [CLOSE] behind the glass door.

Richie hated the quiet now that he was back in to reality. Never realized how much it really bothers him. He could hear the cheap radio on the bar sizzling quietly. As if it could read Richie's mind, it sang with a broken voice;

_Cheers darlin'_  
_ Here's to you and your lover boy_  
_ Cheers darlin'_  
_ I got years to wait around for you_  
_ Cheers darlin'_  
_ I've got your wedding bells in my ear_

He turned the knob to kill the silence but also to feed his headache, he had no idea how badly this song was about to damage him. The bartender was now sitting next to him in silence. Listening as well. This song must have some significance when he is listening to it oh, so carefully and delicately.

_Cheers darlin'_  
_ You give me three cigarettes to smoke my tears away_  
_ And I die when you mention his name_  
_ And I lied, I should have kissed you_  
_ When we were running in the rain_

“I should have kissed you.” Richie echoed the song back, completely unaware of the teardrops streaming down his cheeks joining under his chin, and dropping onto his shirt. The man watched his and it really hurt. Even though he should have been used to this sight as a bartender after over thirty years, he really wasn't. Richie was once again staring blankly at nothingness.

_What am I darlin'?_  
_ A whisper in your ear?_  
_ A piece of your cake?_  
_ What am I, darlin?_  
_ The boy you can fear?_  
_ Or your biggest mistake?_  
_ Cheers darlin'_  
_ Here's to you and your lover man_

“Ah! Stop with the man bullshit for once will you?!” Richie suddenly slammed his fists on the bar. “'Lover man’ this 'lover man that’, his lover is not a man you fucking idiot!” He pointed at and was literally arguing with the radio. The old man was confused but still sat and said nothing. It was not the time to speak of anything. The radio kept on going of course.

_I die when he comes around_  
_ To take you home_  
_ I'm too shy_  
_I should have kissed you when we were alone_

Richie calmed down once more after hearing that again. “I should have kissed you.” He added like the song, “When we were alone.” He broke down again but this time he sobbed in pain. His cries filled the place and silenced the radio.

The old man turned the knob all the way to the left. The younger needed the silence to wheep. It wasn't clear how long had passed when the other quieted down. With a sharp exhale, Richie leaned back and slapped his hands on to his thighs. “Well, that's that.” He rubbed his eyes. “I appreciate this a lot.” He spoke nearly choking up the words.

“Don't you worry ‘bout a thing.”

Richie grabbed his glasses and nearly fell off the stool when getting up. Without exchanging any words, the two shook hands and Richie was on his way. Hardly walking— but walking. The man watched him go and wondered when he will be back. Coming to this pub was a regular for him, but whatever had happened would probably push him away from his everyday doings.

The elder was about to grab the bottle and the glass when he noticed the white paper that was left behind. He grabbed it quickly and hurried out the door as fast as he could with his damned leg.

The streets were completely empty. It was as if the darkness had swallowed the broken man up. He sighed and looked down at the paper. Feeling a twist in his stomach, finally knowing what the problem was.

The nearly shining white paper read in print:

_Edward and Myra Kaspbrak_

_request the honor of your presence at their wedding_  
_ on the ninth of October, two thousand fourteen_  
_ at two o'clock in the afternoon_  
_ Surf Club On The Sound_  
_ New Rochelle, NY, United States_  
_ Dinner & dancing to follow_  
_ Black tie required_

With bright red at the bottom it was handwritten:

_guess I didn't end up marrying your mom after all..._  
_ can't wait to see you again, Rich._

_yours truly,_

  
_ — Eddie_

**Author's Note:**

> please let me know if you'd want this to be a series and him going to the wedding and then the story goes from there!


End file.
